Catholic

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈkaθ(É™)lɪk/

Origin

From Old French catholique, from Latin catholicus, from Ancient Greek καθολικός, from κατά (kata, "according to") + ὅλος (holos, "whole")

Full definition of catholic

Adjective

1. Universal; all-encompassing.
• 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.29:Essentially, and in idea, the empire, in the minds of the Romans, was world-wide. This conception descended to the Church, which was ‘Catholic’ in spite of Buddhists, Confucians, and (later) Muhammadans.
2. Pertaining to all kinds of people and their range of tastes, proclivities etc.; liberal.He has catholic tastes.
3. Alternative capitalization of Catholic

Synonyms

• universal